Getabird injury continues spate of bad luck for champion

Getabird, who had been a general 4-1 favourite for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham Festival, will miss the race due to injury.

The setback is not thought to be career threatening but it caps an unrelenting time for both Willie Mullins and owner Rich Ricci, as within the past couple of weeks alone the pair have lost Faugheen, Min and Annie Power from their festival squad due to injuries.

Mullins said: "He just was not right after Gowran. I gave him an easy ten days and then I got the vet to look at him yesterday morning and he said he was not happy with his sesamoid bone behind.

"The right thing to do is give him a bit of time off but we will see. I've not got a chance to have a real good look at it yet but he is lame."

Meanwhile, one horse who will not be back in racecourse action again is the Jim Dreaper-trained Goonyella, who suffered ligament damage in the cross country chase at Cheltenham in December.

The Alan and Ann Potts-owned ten-year-old recorded his finest hour in 2015 when winning the Midland Grand National by nine lengths.